Eskom CEO: COVID-19 impacting plans to stabilise the national system
Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter says the biggest impact that COVID-19 will have on the power utility is the drop in demand. The state-owned enterprise head said during a meeting with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Enterprises that patterns of consumption have changed, impacting their plan to stabilise the national system.
The full financial impact made on the power utility must still be assessed, according to de Ruyter. De Ruyter said long-term maintenance plans have been put on hold due to the pandemic. International consultants and engineers have not been able to come into the country due to the travel ban.
60 retired engineers have volunteered to return to #Eskom at no salary. They will be placed at the various power stations. #Parliament #SOES
— Lindsay Dentlinger (@metrobabe) May 6, 2020
De Ruyter says the initial 31-day load-shedding plan that was expected during this month will probably be reduced to only three days, but made no guarantees because of Eskom’s unstable grid.
He reiterated that Eskom will still be unbundled into three divisions — distribution, transmission and generation. This process is well on its way and will assist in restructuring the SOE. Divisional boards have been appointed and they have started preparatory work for the legal separation of the three entities but they still need to decide how to split Eskom’s R450-billion in debt.
In other news – High court dismisses challenge to June 1 school reopening
The basic education department has welcomed a Limpopo high court order dismissing a challenge to the planned opening of schools on June 1. The Tebeila Institute of Leadership, Governance and Training challenged minister Angie Motshekga‘s decision to reopen schools next month.
Tebeila approached the court on an urgent basis, asking it to set aside the minister’s decision and to stop the department from implementing the recovery plan for schools in the wake of the Covid-19 lockdown. Read more
Source: eNCA
